HP nx6120 / nc6120 Review pics, specs

by Aman Wadhwa, India

HP NX6120 / NC6120 Review

HP has finally released the perfect notebook for students and business users with its notebook model NX6120/NC6120. This notebook is a 15″ screen mobile notebook that is also available in a 14.1″ screen size. It has rightly been placed in the mobility section on HP’s website. This is a powerful notebook equipped with a 6-cell battery that that weighs in at only 6lbs — not bad for a 15″ screen notebook. Since I needed a laptop for school purposes, I went for this computer with an ideal configuration for such. I should note that the nx6120 is not available in the US or Canada but rather available in Australia, Singapore, India and some other Asia Pacific Regions. The nc6120is the comparably equivalent notebook that HP sells in North America.

The following is the configuration of the HP nx6120 I have:

• Intel Pentium M Processor 740 740(1.73GHZ, 533MHZ FSB,2MB L2 CACHE)
• 512MB DDR RAM
• 60GB(5400RPM) Hard Drive
• DVD/CD-RW Drive
• 15″ Screen
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 with up to 128MB Shared System Memory
• Windows XP Pro
• W/LAN with Bluetooth

HP nx6120/nc6120

Where Purchased

I am a citizen of India and the prices of computers here are almost double than what you pay in the U.S. A computer like the nx6120 here would cost almost $2200, whereas in America it would cost around $1100. I ordered this notebook from Singapore and got it for approximately $1100(US). I think this is a fabulous deal on this computer as it has everything I need as a student and could also serve well for a businessman looking for a good laptop but not too basic.

Build and Design

The NX6120/NC6120 is a sleek and also sturdy laptop. It is enhanced by the HP Mobile Data Protection System which helps protect the hard drive from shock and vibration, minimizing the chance of data getting damaged or lost. It also has a spill resistant keyboard, which is always useful to have! The entire notebook is protected by a scratch resistant In-Mold Lamination which helps keep your notebook looking new for longer.

When moving the screen back and forth you have to apply a little extra pressure indicating that it has a good build quality and is not liable to wobble. The 6-1 Media Card reader fits in just perfectly at the front of the notebook, a great location for this slot in my opinion.

The Screen

This computer came with a 15″ XGA screen (1024 x 768 resolution and 16m colors). My only complaint regarding the screen is that it is not bright enough when in battery mode. While on AC Power the screen is nice and bright, but upon switching to battery power it becomes slightly dimmer and you can’t increase the brightness. You get used to this easily and it is just a minor annoyance though.

SpeakersThe speakers are located at the front of the notebook on each side of the memory card reader.The sound is able to reach a fairly good volume and is crisp. The disadvantage of these speakers is that they lack any real bass sound. If you can deal without the bass they are otherwise great speakers and there’s no need to buy external headphones.

Processor and Performance

This notebook came with an Intel Pentium M Processor 740(1.73ghz). It is fast in its performance and takes only 50-seconds to boot up. It comes with the latest Intel 915 Chipset which boosts processor performance by 10% over the earlier 855 chipset. Even with this amazing combination of 512 MB RAM, 1.73 GHZ clock speed and the Intel 915 chipset the battery lasts for a good 4 hrs. This computer is also enhanced by Intel SpeedStep Technology. Heat build-up isn’t too much of a problem except for where a cd is inserted. When this is the case it tends to heat up to some extent (but not too hot). Otherwise the computer runs smoothly and I have to strain my ears to hear the fan at all.

Keyboard and Touchpad

This notebook having a 15″ screen means that it comes equipped with a full sized keyboard (without a numpad). The placement of the keys is perfect. Though it lacks quick launch buttons like CONNECT,CHAT,SHOPPING it still does have a volume control, mute, wlan, presentation mode and HP info button. The keys re made of plastic and the lettering is done by a thin plastic paper. This is a great advantage as there is no fading of the lettering which does happen on other notebooks and desktops. The keyboard is very comfortable otherwise. The touchpad is also perfect with a vertical scrollbar on its side.

HP nx6120/nc6120 keyboard and touchpad view